Compromises (a McRoll in the REAL World story)
by sammy1026
Summary: Steve has to face the prospect of disappointing Angie.


_Mari & Ilna-you guys are the absolute best! Thank you for EVERYTHING! With a special thanks to Mari for trading days with me and posting Friday so I could have a little extra time. YOU'RE THE BEST!_

 _REAL Worlders-you guys are awesome. Thanks for all the support and encouragement._

* * *

 **Compromises (1/1)**

"Dada no." Angie's bottom lip began to tremble and her eyes welled with tears.

Steve stopped in his tracks. He hated seeing his daughter unhappy and knowing that his actions were causing those feelings was almost unbearable for him.

He inhaled and exhaled deeply.

"Angie … " he started, only to be cut off by his daughter's plaintive "No."

Cammie, sensing the tiny human's displeasure, was at her side immediately and Steve found himself pinned by two sets of sad eyes begging him not to do what he was about to do.

"Not you too," he said to Cammie who inched closer to Angie in a show of solidarity.

"We talked about this," he sighed.

The unhappy toddler plopped down on the floor of the front porch as silent tears began to roll down her cheeks. She took one deep shuddering breath and Steve was ready to throw in the towel.

Just as he was about to cave the front door opened at Catherine appeared. One look from Angie's tears to her husband's tortured expression and she knew exactly what was going on.

"Steve …" she started.

"She doesn't want me to do it," he said with an air of slight desperation.

His tone, plus the genuine pain in his expression almost made Catherine change her mind.

Almost.

"I know she doesn't." Catherine tried to keep her tone even so as not to worsen what was clearly already a bad situation for Steve. "But it has to be done."

He squared his shoulders. "Does it?" he asked defiantly.

"Yes," Catherine smiled softly. The lengths he was willing to go to keep Angie happy warmed her heart. But still … it was time.

"There's no law." Steve was digging in his heels to an almost comic level at this point. "If there was, I'd know."

"That's true," Catherine acknowledged. "There's no actual law. But common sense would tell you … "

"Whose common sense?" he shot back.

"Steve." Catherine leaned down and picked up a still crying Angie. "I'll take her inside if that will make this easier. But one way or another it's time. You have got to take down the Christmas decorations."

* * *

Several hours and countless trips to the garage later the deed was done. All of Angie's beloved lights and yard decorations were packed up and stored for next year. The only decoration that had thus far evaded its fate was a stuffed Rudolph Angie hadn't put down for hours.

As Steve entered the playroom where his wife and daughter were stacking alphabet blocks he looked slightly chagrined.

"Let me start off by saying I'm sorry."

His crooked grin made Catherine's heart flutter just as much today as it had at their first meeting. She smiled. "You have nothing to apologize for."

"I do," he insisted. "We've talked about this hundreds of times."

Catherine reached out her hand and he happily joined the two most important people in his life on the floor.

"You did fine." Catherine leaned over and kissed him softly on the cheek.

"It was just …" Steve scrubbed his face with his hands. "The bottom lip … and the tears … and the begging me not to do it. Still, I have to learn to say no and then not give in."

Catherine turned to face him. His expression was earnest. There was nothing more important to him than being a good father.

"You don't give in when it matters," she said. "When she's in danger of hurting herself, or when her behavior needs corrected, those are the times it really matters. And you always stay strong at those times."

"It's not easy." Steve pushed a piece of hair behind her ear. "She has your eyes. And I'd do anything to avoid seeing unhappiness in those eyes."

Catherine kissed him on the lips. "I know. And I love you for it."

"Dada bahhh eee ahhh bah." Angie held up a block towards her father.

"That's a C." He took the block and turned it towards her. "Do you know what C stands for?"

"Ahhh bahh ee."

"C is for cat. And car. And Cammie." He smiled at the half-dozing pooch across the room.

Angie threw her arms in the air. "Coo-kie!"

"Yes!" Steve beamed. "Cookie also starts with C."

"What a smart girl." Catherine's smile matched Steve's.

The two parents shared a look of pride followed by the silent acknowledgement that they were both going to have to stay on their toes to keep up with their brilliant daughter.

"Coo-kie?" Angie asked hopefully.

"Not until after dinner," Steve said before redirecting her attention with M block. "M is for Mommy."

* * *

"Where did you disappear to?" Catherine asked as Steve walked into the kitchen where Angie was finishing up her bedtime snack of strawberries and watermelon.

"I just had something I needed to do," he replied mysteriously. "How are things going in here?"

"She's almost done," Catherine reported. "If you want to sit with her, then clean her up when she finishes, I'll run upstairs and put the clean laundry away and get her pajamas ready."

Steve pulled one of the bar stools up next to Angie's high chair. "Sounds good."

After a stop in the living room to pick up the laundry basket Catherine made her way upstairs. She stopped in the master bedroom to drop off a few things then walked down the hall to the nursery.

'That's odd,' she thought to herself as she noticed the closed door. Generally, unless Angie was sleeping, that door remained open. When she turned the knob and pushed the door open she was met with a sight that made her hand flutter to her chest.

"Oh," she said softly as her eyes welled up.

The entire perimeter of the room was ringed with small twinkling multi-colored lights.

"There's no law that says we can't keep a little of the Christmas magic around all year long," Steve said as he and Angie reached the landing at the top of the stairs.

"This is what you were up to," she said in more of a statement than a question.

"Do you like it?" he asked. He didn't want Angie to see until he knew Catherine was fully on board.

"I love it," she said sincerely.

"It's not over indulgent?"

"No." She shook her head with a soft smile. "It's exactly right."

Steve walked the short distance to her side and kissed her as Angie spotted the lights and began to bounce in his arms.

"EEEEEEE ahh bah dada!"

An expression of pure happiness appeared on Steve's face at Angie's reaction which was matched quickly by the look on Catherine's. Steve had been doing this same thing for her pretty much since the day they met. Even if she couldn't get exactly what she wanted he went out of his way to make sure she got something that made her smile. As she watched Angie's head swivel to look at the lights it made her happier than she could possibly express to know her daughter would experience the same kind of unconditional love from Steve.

"Do you like the lights Angie?" Steve asked as he stepped into the nursery.

"Baa daa eeeee!"

Catherine chuckled. "That definitely means yes."

 **THE END**

* * *

 _Find all our stories (in chronological order!) on our website: marirealmcroll dot wixsite dot com backslash real-mcroll_

 _Or in the McRoll in the REAL World community here on fanfiction dot net Find us on Tumblr: mcrollintherealworld dot tumblr dot com_

 _You can join our mailing list by emailing us realmcroll at yahoo dot com with: Add me, please! in the subject line. Or just drop us a line to say hi! We love hearing from our readers._


End file.
